Canada



T. H. BAIVIFORTH.

TOY.

` APPLICATION mEn'ocT. 29. 1917. l ,$95,638. Patented June 3, 1919.

2 sHEETs-sHEE n.

SRS

T. H. BAMFORTH.

` TOY.

APPLICATION FILED oc. 29. 19u.

, Patented Jane 3,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

imitan sfrafrns PATENT orrron THOMAS HENRY BAMFORTH, 0FV VANCOUVER, LBBI'I'ISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR,

0F ONE-HALF TO RUBY MAE RAWLINGS, j 0F VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Y

CANADA.

Leonesa.

' mor.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed October 29, 1917. SeriaINo. 199,112.

To'aZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS HENRY BAM- roR'rH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the city of Vancouver',

in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful f devise a toy adapted to Vbe constructed in the form of a'iigure in uniform, such as that of aboy scout, soldier, sa1lor,or thelike, the arms of'which aremovable, and wlnch is fprovided with manually operatedV mechanism for operating the arms so that they maybe made to assume the various positions employed in iag and semaphore signaling, thus Vproviding a device which is of great utility in self-teaching signaling.

I attain this nobject by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which-d Figurel is a face view of the toy, in half section, showing the internal mechanism for one arm.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the arms.

Fig. 5 is a face view of the indicator chart.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

' The toy is indicated generally by the numeral 1 and consists of a hollow casing formed in the desired shape, that of a boy scout being taken for the purpose Vof illustration. The right and left arms of the ligure, 2 and 13 respectively,l areV rotatably mounted so that they may be made to eXecute the various circular movements desired, and to each arm at the shoulder and centrally of the pivot on which itv turns is sethe description and illustration applies withY equal force tothe right arm operation.

6 indicates a small gear rotatably mounted Y in the b'ase of the figure, provided on its inner' face with a chaind sprocket 7, as shown in 3, arranged so that the. sprocket in; line witbthe spreeket 5v of: Vthe arm 3,V the sprockets being chain-connected by means of a chain 8, shown broken as the arms areV not in true position with relation to the position of the-mechanism. Secured to the base Vplate 9 ofthe ligure are vertical bracketsl() and 11 provided with slots 12 and 13, in which slots rests a shaft 14, which Y shaft is slidable in the slots and capable of vertical movement therein, and securedto the shaft 14 adjacent one end is a vertically disposed rack 15, which rack meshes with the gear 6, A 4smal-l guide lroller 16 is provided for the rack 15. The gear 6 is returned to 'its normal position, after being vactuated by the rack 15, by means of a spring 66 coiled on the gear shaft, as shown in Fig. 3, or by any other suitable means.V

Rotatably mounted on the lshaftV 14 are rollers 17, 18, 19, 20,21, and 22, with which rollers cooperate respectively Vsuitably Vfulcrumed levers 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28, each of which levers is extended at its outer end through slots 61 in the front wall of the figure casing and is provided with a button or key., indicated by the numeral 29, while the upper edge of each lever toward its inner end bears normally on its respective roller, from which it'will be seen that depression of any one of the keys will raise the shaft 14 in the slots 12 and 13V and consequently the rack 15, thus rotating the sprockets 5 and 7 and the arm 3, the length of the movement of the ra'ckand of the rotation of the sprockets dependingon the lift of the inner ends of the respective levers, which lift is governed by -the position of the fulcrum points 30 of the levers, as it will be seen that the nearer the "fulcrum point is to the key the lift ofthe inner end of the lever will be greater than when the fulcrum point is farther away.

ln order to maintain the arm 3 in the' positions'to which itis moved theV rack 15 is provided on onepside adjacent its upper end with a spring pressed awl 31, as shown inV Figs. l, 2 and 3, whic pawl cooperates on each upward movement of the rack with a series of horizontal pawLretaining arms 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37, each of which arms ismounted kyforlateral movement outwardly on a suitably secured. vertical' stationary shaft 38. The inner edges oiV theserarms are disposed in the' pathtof the pawlV 31lbut clear ofthe rack 15 and the arms are inactive during the upward movement of the rack so that as the pawl on the upward movement passes an arm it is depressed thereby, springing out, however, as soon as it is past to engage the upper face of the arm whereby the rack cannot return downwardly until the arm is withdrawn clear of the pawl, and

thus the arm 3 is maintained in any of the positions to which it may be moved. That is to say, on the upward movement of the rack 15 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the first position of the arm 3, the pawl will be depressed by the arm 32 until it passes it to complete the movement, when the pawl will then be just above the arm 32 so that it will spring out and engage the upper face or' the arm, thus maintaining the signaling arm 3 in the first position. In the same manner the arm 3 is held against return movement after the execution of any of the other signaling movements, when made by an upwardmovement of the rack 15, so that when the siXth movement is completedthe pawl 31 will be resting on the arm 37, the rack 15 being then at its highest point.

It will be obvious, however, that the arm 3 must be capable of being returned to the ready or any intermediate position, to provide for which movement the arms 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 are adapted to be moved clear of the pawl 31 by means of suitably iulcrumed levers 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43, these levers being normally engaged and operated respectively at their outer ends by the levers 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27, and ulcrumed at 46 and bent as shown in Fig. 3 so that their upper ends normally engage the rear edge of their respective pawl-retaining 'arms 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37, from which it will be seen, referring particularly to Fig. 3, that any of these arms may be moved outwardly clear of the pawl 31 by the depression of the proper key 29. For instance, suppose the rack 15 is at its highest point, the pawl 31 then engaging the arm 37, and it is desired to bring the signaling arm 3 back one position. It will be noted, referring to Fig. 2, that the lever 43 for operating arm 37 co-acts with lever 27, therefore if lever 27 be depressed the upper point of lever 43 will be moved to carry arm 37 outwardly clear of p'awl 31, thus allowing the rack 15 to drop until pawl 31 engages arm 36, thus bringing arm 3 back to, and maintaining it in, the neXt signaling position, the arm 37 being returned to its normal position by means of a suitable spring 47, there being one such spring for each pawl-retaining arm, as indicated in Figs'l, 2, andV 3. These springs 47 are arranged as' shown more particularly in Fig. 2, that is, being coiled around the vshaft 38 with the upper end 'ot each spring bearing on the louter` edge of the pawl-retaining arm fabove it and its lower end bearing on the inner edge of the arin below, which arrangement renders the tension on the keys, when operating more than one arm at a time, non-cumulative, that is to say, it requires no more force to move all of the pawl-retaining arms simultaneously than it does to move any one of them. Thus it will be seen that to return the signaling arm 3 through each respective signaling position it is only necessary to depress the key lever cooperating with the lever for actuating the pawl-retainingl arm then in engagement, so that the arm 3 may be brought back by successive single movementsl until the pawl 31 rests on the arm 32, that is to say, the irst signaling position. To throw out this arm and allow the arm 3 to come to the ready7 position a separate key lever 44 is provided. which has no coperative relation with the rack 15 but simply provides for the operation of the arm 32 through the medium of a coperating lever 45 similar to the pawl-retaining arm actuating levers already described. Y n. Y

The description.immediately preceding has reference to the returning ot the signaling arm 3 by single movements to the ready or intermediate positions, but' it is necessary to provide for the returning ot the arm through two or more positions by one movement, that is, suppose the' rack 15 to be in its highest position, it should be possible to drop it from arm 37 to arm 35, or from 37 to 34, or to 33, or to 32, or from 36 to 33, and so on. This is provided for by extending the pawl-retaining arms beyond the shaft 38, these extensions being indicated by the numerals 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 and 53, and all except the extension 53 are provided adjacent their outer edge with rigid upstanding arms, indicated by the numerals 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58, the upper end of each of which arms engages the outer edge or' the pawl-retaining arm directly above it, from which it will be seen that outward lateral movement of any pawl-retaining arm will move the one above it, which in turn will move the one above it, and so on. That is, suppose it is desired to return the rack from its topmost position and bring the pawl from engagement with 'arm 37 to engage arm 33, all that is necessary is to depress'the key lever 24 coperating with the lever 40 for actuating the arm 34, thereby swinging arm 34 outwardly, which movement swings arms 35', 36 and 37 also outwardly and simultaneously, since the upstanding arm 56 actuates arm 35, the arm 57 actuates 3G, and arm 58 Iactua'tes 37', from-which it 'will be noted that the lateral outward movement of any pawl-retaining' arm moves laterally outwardly at the same time all those above it, thus allowing the rack V15 to drop through two or more positions. ligs. 2 and 3 illustrate the fact that the upstanding 'arm- 54 ,is-ii-Xe te the arm 48 of lowermost detent 32 and extends up opposite the edge of the'next detent above it, while this detent has an upstanding arm attached to its arm 49 which extends up opposite the edge of the next detent above and so on throughout the series, so Y that when any detent is operated all those above it will be carried along Vwith it but those bclow it will not be disturbed. In order to does not coperate with the lowermost detent 32 but with the second from the bottom of the set of detent arms or levers, z'. e., the one marked 33, so that when the key Vlever 23 is depressed the rack 175 will be lifted and its pawl will be engaged and held by the lowermost detent 32 which is not disturbed by the operation of this lever 23 because as just stated the release lever 39 operated by the key lever 23 will affect only detent next above, t'. e., 33. In other words, each of the levers 23, 24, 25, etc.,will lift the rack to be engaged by their corresponding detente 32, 33, 34, etc., but these detents in releasing the rack are each operatedby a key lever other than the one which lifts the rack to be engaged by its corresponding detent. VIn other words, key lever 23 lifts the rack to be held by detent 32 but detent 32 is released by lever 44, 45. Key lever 24 lifts the rack to be engaged by detent 33 but this detent is released by operating key lever 23 and consequently intermediate lever 39 and so on throughout the series. To make this clearer it will be seen fromV Fig. 2 that each linger lever 23, 24, etc., operates through fthe intermediate leversV 39, 40.I etc., thedetent next above the one to which the rack is lifted by the operation of that finger lever, as a result ofrwhich the finger lever 28 at the right does nothing but lift the rack to its detent 37, this detent being released bythe operationof the finger lever 27. Indicator charts 62 and 63, for the right and left arms respectively, are arranged on the front of the figure casing concentric with the shafts of the lower arm operating sprockets. a pointer being secured to each shaft and moving coincidently therewith, such pointers being indicated by the numerals 64 and 65 in Figs. l and 5. -These charts consist of aV series of concentric circles divided by radial lines, which lines in- Y dica-te the respective signaling VVpositions of the arms 2 and 3 and 1n the circles and on the lines are marked the alphabetical letters which are made by the moving of the pointers 64 Vand 65 to the respective radial line or lines, the correct position of the pointers, and consequently of the signaling arms, being obtained from the respective circles, which are preferably colored distinctively to assist in the Vquick and easy reading of the charts. For instace, suppose it is desired to make the letter S. The operator moves the proper key to operate the rack 15 in the manner already described and consequently the pointer 64, bringing the pointer to register with theV radial line on which is marked the letter S, at the same time noting that this letter is in the first circle on the right hand chart, whereupon he seeks the radial line crossing the first circleon the left hand chart on which the letter S is marked, operating the lefthand pointer by the depression of theV proper key to bring the pointer to register with the said radial line, when the signalingrarms 2 and 3 will loe in the correct position to signal the letter S. The other letters are formed in the same manner.

The letters which may be made by each key are also marked on the front of the casing in proximity to the respective keys soY Vthat the operator may know at a glance the proper key to depress in order to obtain the Vdesired signal, the Vcasing being preferably tatably mounted in the base o the figure eac-h provided with a gear, a. flexible connection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for Y each gear meshing therewith, a separate vertically movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured, and manually operated means for raising each said shaft step-by-step or by one continuous movement whereby rotation of its respective gearV Vthrough a complete signaling cycle is effected.

2. A toy comprising a Vfigure including .I

arms having the arms pivotally mounted, sprockets for each arm secured thereto centrally of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mounted in the base of the gure each provided with agear, afieX'ible con- Y nection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for Y each gear meshing therewith and provided with a spring pressed pawl adjacent its upper end, a separate vertically movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured, manually operated means for raising each said shaft independently of the other step-by-step or by one movement to effect rotation of its respective gear through a complete signaling cycle, and a series of laterally withdrawable arms for each rack cooperating with the pawl thereof for maintaining said racks in the positions to which they may be raised or lowered.

3. A toy comprising a figure including' arms having the arms pivotally mounted, sprockets for each arm secured thereto centrally of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mountedL in the base of the figure each provided with a gear, a flexible connection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for each gear meshing therewith and provided with a spring pressed pawl, a separate vertically movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured,manually operated means for raising each said shaft independently of the other step-by-step or by one movement to elfe-ct rotation of its respective gear through a complete signaling cycle, a. series of laterally withdrawable arms for each rack coperating with the pawl thereof for maintaining said racks in the positions to which they may be raised or lowered, and means for operating said arms.

4. A toy comprising a figure including arms in the form of a signaler having' the arms pivotally mounted, sprockets for each arm secured thereto centrally of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mounted in the base of the figure each provided with a gear, a flexible connection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for each gear meshing therewith, a. separate vertically movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured, and a plurality of suitably fulcrumed manually operated levers for each shaft for raising the same, there being as many levers as there are signal positions made by each arm. the lift of each lever varying from the other whereby the raising of the shaft to effect rotation of its respective gear step-by-step through a complete signaling cycle is effected by the progressive depression of the levers.

5. A toy comprising a Vfigure including arms in the form of a signaler having its arms pivotally mounted, sprockets for each arm secured thereto centrally7 of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mounted in the base of the figure each provided with a gear, a flexible connection bet-ween each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for each gear meshing therewith and provided with a spring pressed pawl, a verticallyY movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured, a series of suitably fulcrumed manually operated key levers for each shaft for raising the same, there being as many levers as there are signa-l positions made by each arm, the lift of each lever varying from the other whereby the raising of the shaft to rotate its respective gear through a complete signaling cycle is effect-ed by the progressive depression of the levers, a series of pawl-retaining arms mounted for lateral Voutward movement above and adjacent each respective rack, with each of which arms the rack pawl is adapted to cooperate, there being as many arms in each series as there are in each series of the levers aforesaid, and a plurality of suitably fulcrumed levers for operating the said arms, said levers being disposed adjacent to and actuated by the manually operated levers.

6. A toy comprising a figure including arms in the form of a signaler, having its arms pivotally mounted, sprockets for each arm secured thereto centrally of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mounted in vthe vbaseY of the ligure each providedwith a.

gear, a flexible connection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for each gear meshing therewith and provided with a spring pressed pawl, a vertically movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured, a series of suitably Vfulcrumed manually operated key levers for each shaft for raising the same, there being as many levers as there are signal positions made by each arm, the lift of each lever varying from the other whereby the raising of the shaft to rotate its respective gear through a complete signalingcycle is effected by the progressive depression of the levers, a series of pawl-retaining arms mounted for lateral outward movement above and adjacent each respective rack with each of whichrarms the rack pawl is adapted to coperate, there being as many arms in each series as there are in each series of the levers aforesaid, a plurality of suit-ably fulcrumed levers for operating the said. arms, said levers being disposed adjacent to Vand actuated by the manually operated levers, and means whereby the simultaneous lateral outward movement of two or more of the pawl-retaining arms is effected.

7. A toy comprising a gure including arms having the arms pivotally mounted, sprocket-s for each arm secured thereto centrally of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mounted in the base of the ligure each provided witha gear, a flexible-connection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for each gear meshing therewith and provided with a spring pressed pawl adjacent its upper end', aseparate vertically movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured, manually operated means for raising each shaft independently of the other step-by-step or by one movement to effect rotation of its respective gear through a romplete signaling cycle, a series of laterally withdrawable arms for each rack coperating With the pawl thereof for maintaining said racks in the positions to which they may be raised or lowered, and means whereby the simultaneous operation of two or more of the said arms is effected.

8. A toy comprising a ligure including arms having the arms pivota'lly mounted, sprockets for each arms secured thereto centrally of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mounted in the base of the ligure each provided with a gear, a liexible connection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, a vertically movable rack for each gear meshing therewith and provided with a springpressed pawl, a vertically movable shaft for each rack to which the respective rack is secured, a series of suitably fulcrumed ke levers for each shaft for raising the same, t ere being as many levers as there are signal positions made by each arm, the lift of each lever varying from the other vwhereby the raising of the shaft to rotate its respective gear through a complete signaling cycle is effected by the progressive depression of the levers, a vertical shaft for each rack secured adjacent thereto, a series of paWl-retaining arms for each rack mounted for lateral outward movement on each shaft one above the other adjacent their respective racks with each of which arms the rack pawl is adapted to cooperate, there being as many arms in each series as there are in each series of the levers aforesaid and each arm being provided with an extension, a plurality of suitably fulcrumed levers for operating the said arms, said levers being disposed adjacent to and actuated by the key levers, projecting members on each arm extension adapted to normally engage the eX- tension above it whereby operation of a lower arm actuates a higher one, and spring means for returning said arms to their normal position, said means being arranged so that equal force is required for the operation of one arm or of tvvo or more simultaneously.

9. A toy comprising a figure including arms representing a vvigwagging signaler having the arms pivotally mounted adapted to assume the plurality of positions employed in this kind of signaling and disposed normally in the ready position, sprockets for each arm secured thereto centrally of the respective pivots, sprockets rotatably mounted in the base of the figure,

a flexible connection between each base sprocket and each arm sprocket, eXteriorly operated mechanism for' rotating the base sprockets, said mechanism being adapted to actuate said sprockets so as to move the arm or arms from the ready position through arms at the completion of each return movement. Y

10. A toy comprising a ligure including arms in the form of a signaler, movable arms thereon and provided with mechanism whereby said arms may be made to assume the positions employed in the art of signaling, and means for indicating the position of the said arms necessary to make any desired signal, said Ymea-ns consisting of a series of concentric circles for each arm marked on the front of the base ofthe figure and divided by radial lines corresponding to the various signaling positions, a. pointer for each series co-acting therewith operated by the arm mechanism and moving coincidently With its respective arm, the alphabetical letters made by the moving of the said pointers to the respective radial lines being marked on the lines and in the circles.

11. A toy comprising a ligure having arms pivoted at the shoulder, a plurality of detents for holding the arms in different anguiar positions, and means for giving either arm a full stroke movement up o1' down or in cooperation with said detente for giving either arm a step by step movement up or down, substantially as described. v

12. In combination a ligure of a signaler having an arm pivoted at the shoulder, detents to hold the arm in different angular positions, said detents being arranged at different levels, a plurality of manually operable connections for lifting the arms to different positions to be held by the detents, said detents being operable to release the arm by Working the manually operable connection which lifts the arm to be held by another detent, substantially as described.

13. In combination a figure of a signaler having an arm pivoted at the shoulder, detents to hold the arm indifferent angular positions, said detents being arranged at different levels, a plurality of manually operable connections for lifting the arms to different positions to be held by the detents, said detents being opera-ble to release the arm by working the manually operable connection Which lifts the arms to be held by another detent, namely, the detent next be- .loW the active detent.

14. In combination a figure of a signaler having an arm pivoted at'the shoulder, detents to hold the arm in different angular positions, and arranged at different levels, key levers one for each detent with connections for lifting the arm to be held thereby, and means for releasing the detents operated CII by the said key levers, the release of a detent being effected through one of said key levers other than the one which lifts the arm to be held by that detent, substantially as described.

15. In combination a. igure of a signaler having an arm pivoted at the shoulder, a plurality of detents for holding the arm at different elevations, means for lifting the arm to different elevations, and means for setting either detent in release position to allow the arm to fall, and means whereby when` either deten't is set in release position the detents Which are to hold the arm at higher elevations also will be set in release position, substantially as described.

16. In combination a figure of a signaler havin@ an arm pivote-'d at the shoulder, a plurality of detents for holding the arm at different elevations, means for lifting the arm to different elevations, means for setting either detent in release position to allow the arm to fall, and means whereby When either detent is set in release position the detents which are to hold the arm at higher elevations a-lso will be set in release position, said last mentioned means consisting of an arm on each detent to engage and operate the detent next above it, substantially as described.

Dated at Vancouver, B. C., this 9th day of October, 1917 THOMAS HENRY BAMFORTH.

Copies of this vpatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

